IRIA News

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud held talks in Washington on September 28, 2026, on regional security, including the situation in Yemen and the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab Al-Mandeb.

The meeting came as fighting involving Yemen’s Houthi movement has intensified and tensions around key regional waterways remain high.

The U.S. State Department said Rubio and Prince Faisal continued discussions that began during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Their talks covered bilateral cooperation on regional security and stability, including developments involving Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and other regional issues.

Saudi Arabia’s state news agency SPA said the discussions also covered political and security developments in Yemen and efforts to address the conflict.

The two sides also discussed the security of navigation and freedom of passage through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss our bilateral cooperation on regional security and stability, including in Iran, Gaza, Sudan, and Yemen. pic.twitter.com/Kb8PiNLRwP

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) September 28, 2026

Yemen and Houthi Attacks

The tensions have been growing between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement. The Houthis have expanded attacks along the Red Sea region and have targeted Saudi Arabia, including airports and oil infrastructure, as the wider conflict involving Iran continues in the Middle East.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly sought U.S. military assistance against the Houthis earlier this month.

The United States did not agree to carry out direct strikes, but agreed to provide intelligence and targeting support, according to reports citing people familiar with the discussions.

The issue has increased the importance of coordination between Washington and Riyadh as Saudi Arabia faces security concerns along its southern border and around critical infrastructure.

Strait of Hormuz Remains Key Concern

The security of the Strait of Hormuz was another major issue in the talks. The narrow waterway between Iran and Oman is a major route for international energy shipments. The Bab Al-Mandeb, which connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is also an important route for global trade.

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. have continued to focus on maintaining freedom of navigation through both waterways as regional tensions have increased.

SPA said the two ministers discussed protecting navigation and the continued flow of trade, linking the security of the waterways to wider regional stability.

The discussions come as efforts to reduce tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue, while attacks and military activity across the region have raised concerns over the security of commercial shipping.

Saudi Minister Meets Senate Intelligence Chairman

During his official visit to the United States, Prince Faisal also met with U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

According to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two discussed the latest political and security developments and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in relevant areas.

The ministry said the discussions focused on supporting the shared interests of Saudi Arabia and the United States and strengthening security and stability at the regional and international levels.

The meeting with Cotton added a congressional dimension to Prince Faisal’s Washington visit, alongside his talks with the U.S. Secretary of State.

US-Saudi Coordination

The meetings reflect continued U.S.-Saudi coordination as both countries deal with several overlapping regional crises.

The two governments have not announced any decision for direct U.S. military strikes against the Houthis. Their latest discussions instead focused on security cooperation, diplomatic coordination and the protection of key regional waterways.

Separately, Rubio also held talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam during his visit to Washington. Salam called for progress on a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel and urged Washington to support an Israeli withdrawal, the deployment of the Lebanese army and efforts to bring weapons under state control.